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Liver disease
There are many different types of liver disease. You can help prevent some of them by maintaining a healthy weight and staying within the recommended alcohol limits, if you drink.
Types of liver disease
Some of the most common types of liver disease include:
Common types of liver disease and the possible causes
Condition Possible causes
Alcohol-related liver disease Regularly drinking too much alcohol
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease Being very overweight (obese) – this may cause fat to build up in the liver
Hepatitis Catching a viral infection, regularly drinking too much alcohol
Haemochromatosis A gene that runs in families and may be passed from parents to children
Primary biliary cirrhosis May be caused by a problem with the immune system
Information:
Coronavirus advice
Get advice about coronavirus and liver disease from the British Liver Trust
Symptoms of liver disease
Most types of liver disease do not cause any symptoms in the early stages.
Once you start to get symptoms of liver disease, your liver is already damaged and scarred. This is known as cirrhosis.
Non-urgent advice:
See a GP if:
You have symptoms of liver damage (cirrhosis), such as:
feeling very tired and weak all the time
loss of appetite – which may lead to weight loss
loss of sex drive (libido)
yellow skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice)
Other symptoms may include itchy skin, or feeling or being sick.
Information:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: how to contact a GP
It's still important to get help from a GP if you need it. To contact your GP surgery:
visit their website
use the NHS App
call them
Find out about using the NHS during COVID-19
Information:
If you or your child has been diagnosed with liver disease, the British Liver Trust or Children's Liver Disease Foundation can also offer advice and support.
How to prevent liver disease
The 3 main causes of liver disease are:
obesity
an undiagnosed hepatitis infection
alcohol misuse
You can reduce your risk of many types of liver disease with some simple lifestyle changes such as:
trying to maintain a healthy weight
not drinking too much alcohol
Vaccines are available for hepatitis A and hepatitis B. These are recommended if you're at risk.
Important
You do not have to drink an excessive amount of alcohol to risk damaging your health. Regularly drinking just over the recommended levels can be harmful.
Read about the risks of drinking too much
More information
Use the BMI healthy weight calculator to find out your body mass index (BMI)
Start the NHS weight loss plan
Read about cutting down on alcohol
Find out who should have the hepatitis A vaccine and who should have the hepatitis B vaccine
Page last reviewed: 20 October 2020
Next review due: 20 October 2023
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